WinterGreen Research announces that it has a new study on Wheelchairs. The 2009 study has 484 pages, 235 tables and figures. Worldwide markets are poised to achieve significant growth as the wheelchairs are used globally. Growth comes as the population ages in every region.

According to Susan Eustis, the lead author of the study, “the use of wheelchairs is based on providing a chair for everyone who does not have the ability to walk one quarter mile. The ability to walk longer distances is impossible for some people and then they need a wheel chair. Custom units, light weight units, stable chairs, comfortable chairs are all an issue in general market seating and are moving to be adopted in the wheel chair market.”

Hospital and homecare wheelchair technology is evolving to give people with disabilities more mobility. Markets are poised to create the ability for people with disabilities to get more exercise and have more mobility. Impact on the healthcare delivery industry is positive because it is encouraging mobility of people who were previously bed ridden.

Wheelchairs impact care delivery, permitting the patient to control mobility for the rehabilitation efforts. Lightweight wheel chairs give patients the ability to control movement. Transport wheelchairs are used for moving patients from the bed to another place. Patients and family gain more control over the care delivery with the availability of transport wheelchairs. Care can be delivered in familiar home settings. Wheelchair market driving forces include the fact that baby boomers are starting to hit age 65 resulting in growth in the population over age 65. As overall life expectancy increases, more wheelchairs are needed.

The home medical equipment market includes home health care products, physical rehabilitation products and other non-disposable products used for the recovery and long-term care of patients. The demand for domestic home medical equipment products continues to grow. Growth during the next decade and beyond is a result of several factors.

Wheelchair markets are expected to grow as the baby boomers age. The aging of the population is expected to change markets. Older people need more support for continued mobility through disability. Rehabilitation becomes more prevalent.

The ability to get reimbursement has been a significant market factor. As baby boomers age and need wheelchairs, they will be willing to pay directly for mobility and comfort as they do for homes and cars now. This trend will assure market growth worldwide.

Wheelchair and scooter markets at $3.9 billion in 2009 are expected to grow to $7.9 billion by 2015. Wheelchairs and scooters provide improved lifestyle for disabled people by enabling mobility and move the healthcare delivery system toward the lower cost homecare.